Many parents complain that they can’t play games with their kids. A 5-year-old plays Candyland, loses, and throws the dice across the floor. A 9-year-old plays Apples to Apples with two friends, loses and runs up to her room shouting to her friends that they are cheaters.
Many parents complain that they can’t play games with their kids. A 5-year-old plays Candyland, loses, and throws the dice across the floor. A 9-year-old plays Apples to Apples with two friends, loses and runs up to her room shouting to her friends that they are cheaters. A 16-year-old drops out of gymnastics because her coach refuses to let her compete at a higher level until she improves. An 18-year-old refuses to apply to college because none is “good enough” to get him the job that he feels he deserves.
Any of these sound familiar?
You’re not alone. There are a lot of kids out there who simply don’t lose well.
If any of these describe traits of your child, here’s the good news: he or she can change.
But here’s the bad news: you have to make it happen.
And that means a struggle. But don’t worry, it won’t last. It’s a fight that you must have because his developing into a happy adult depends on it. The truth is, losing is no fun for anyone and some kids (and adults) handle it better than others. If you have more than one child, you know this. But the reality is, life is hard and every person needs to learn to lose, because we all will—at something. So the earlier you teach your child that losing is manageable, the more easily she will adjust to life.